Entertainment
FirstBank’s The Voice Nigeria Season 3 Holds Second Live Show
By Israel Bolaji
Eight contestants survived the heat and are up for viewers’ votes as The Voice Nigeria, Season 3, held its second live show over the weekend. This followed energetic performances of various songs and display of raw talents by vocalists in a bid to outdo one another as the world class talents reality series glitters to the grand finale.
To keep your favourite contestants on the show, viewers have to vote by dialing *894*7*talent’s code#.
Full details of the voting code of all contestants can be gotten in the video clip below:
Four talents, including Kitay Naomi Mac, Eazzie and Esther, who were earlier saved by the four celebrity coaches cum judges following the first live show were joined by four other saved by viewers out of the eight up for votes. The lucky ones were Anu, Dapo, Nuel Ayo and Kpee who returned to team Yemi, Falz, Waje and Darey respectively for a chance to perform courtesy of viewers’ votes as verified and endorsed by the highly respected KPMG.
Toeseen, Tamara, Inioluwa, and Jeremiah have now dropped out of the very intense competition.
The last eight contestants all performed during the second live show to the excitement of coaches and a small audience in compliance with Covid-19 protocols. Following the show, all eight now depend on the viewers’ votes as the coaches can no longer save anyone and only the top six with the highest votes will perform at the third live show.
Meanwhile, all eight talents gave great accounts of their artistry with scintillating performances of various songs at the second live show.
It was team Yemi that opened the second live show kicking off with a natural performer, Kitay with a cultural performance of “Ada Ada” by Flavour followed by the soprano singer Anu with an assertive delivery of “This is Me” by The Greatest Showman.
Team Falz then took over the stage first with Naomi Mac who wowed the audience with an emotional delivery of Whitney Houston’s classic “I Will Always Love You” followed by Dapo who sang Dbanj’s “Fall In Love”.
It was soon Team Waje’s turn to dazzle with Eazzie’s soulful performance of “I Want to Know What Love Is” by Foreigner, then Nuel Ayo delivering Asa’s inspirational song “Eye Adaba”.
Esther’s beautiful rendition of The Greatest Showman’s “Never Enough” ushered in Team Darey, followed by Kpee’s awesome close out with Rema’s dance song “Lady” which got all judges on their feet.
With an electrifying mix of pulsating musical performances, music training, glamorous fashion and life enriching entertainment, the The Voice Nigeria 3 continues to dazzle to the very grand finale.
Scores of vocalists have performed on the highly competitive show but dropped out going through the Auditions, Blinds, Knockouts, Battles and Live Show stages.
Lead show sponsor, FirstBank in a statement by its Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Folake Ani-Mumuney, reiterated that The Voice Nigeria 3 is a Reality TV show designed to discover and promote talented singers to actualise their dreams of becoming international stars which aligns with FirstBank’s commitment to providing a platform for nurturing and showcasing talents and driving social cohesion.
The Financial giant added that its support for The Voice Nigeria 3 is a demonstration of its commitment to contributing to the projected revenue of US$86m by 2021 from Nigeria’s music industry aimed at promoting a diversified economy in line with the Federal Government’s diversification policy.
So what are you waiting for, get voting so your favourite is among the six victorious vocalists with the highest votes that would be expected to perform selected songs and keep hope alive for the third live show billed for this Saturday.
More details on the show is on https://www.firstbanknigeria.com/the-voice-nigeria/
Nigeria-born Afro-pop star, Joeboy, whose melodies now ripple across continents, takes centre stage this week on the Easter edition of African Voices, the Globacom-sponsored CNN magazine programme.
In a captivating session from Lagos, show anchor Larry Madowo drew out the rhythm of Joeboy’s journey, tracing the arc from a starry-eyed university dreamer to a maestro whose songs now traverse the globe like whispered secrets carried on the wind.
Born Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa-Donus in 1997, Joeboy—affectionately dubbed Afrobeats’ “lover boy”—embarked on his musical odyssey in 2017 with a viral reinterpretation of Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You.
This pivot from rap to melodious crooning caught the discerning eye of Nigerian artiste and entrepreneur Mr Eazi, who, upon discovering him on Instagram, extended an invitation to join the emPawa Africa Talent Incubation initiative—a sanctuary for budding African talents where raw potential is nurtured into brilliance.
The partnership bore fruit in 2018 with the release of Fààjí, featuring Mr Eazi, and soon after, Joeboy was signed to Warner Music Africa. From there, his ascent became a symphony of milestones: the intoxicating single Baby in 2019, followed by Beginning, which amassed over 23 million views on YouTube, and Love & Light the same year.
Collaborations with Mayorkun yielded the spirited tracks Don’t Call Me and All for You, further cementing his place in the Afrobeats constellation.
Joeboy’s debut album, Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic, unfurled in February 2021, a melodic tapestry of youth, hope, and desire. By 19 May 2023, he unveiled his sophomore studio effort, Body & Soul, preceded by the evocative singles Sip (Alcohol), Contour, Body & Soul, and Duffel Bag. In 2023, he teased the world with Only God Save Me and the extended EP Body, Soul and Spirit, offering listeners a window into the essence of his artistic spirit.
February 2024 marked another milestone as he launched his own imprint, Young Legend, soon releasing Osadebe, a track that resonated nationwide with the familiar warmth of homegrown brilliance.
Joeboy’s dedication has been richly rewarded. He clinched Best Artiste in African Pop at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards and Best Pop at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival. His music has earned numerous nominations, including at the City People Entertainment Awards and The Headies, affirming his status as a luminary of contemporary African sound.
The Easter edition of African Voices featuring Joeboy will air on DSTV Channel 401 at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, with repeats at 11 a.m.; Sunday at 3:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Monday at 3 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.; and Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. The schedule will be mirrored the following week, culminating in Monday at 3 a.m., giving audiences multiple opportunities to bask in the artistry of a musician whose voice carries the pulse of a continent.
Chuck Norris, the US martial artist and Hollywood action star most famous for his role in “Walker, Texas Ranger,” has died, his family said Friday. He was 86 years old.
“It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,” the family said in a statement on Instagram.
“He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives,” the statement said.
Norris reportedly fell ill on Thursday on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Norris turned 86 last week, marking the event with a video of him boxing on social media and saying, “I don’t age. I level up.”
Entertainment
South African Actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, Tells Success Story on Glo-Sponsored African Voices
Delectable South African actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, will this week on Globacom-sponsored Cable News Network International’s African Voices Changemakers, reveal her trajectory from the Rainbow Nation to the global stage of make-belief.
In the 30-minute magazine programme, show anchor, Larry Madowo, will engage Mbatha on her soaring career which earned her a mention in the prestigious TIME100 Next in 2025.
The thespian who has been featured in two Hollywood productions has also gained acclaim in the beauty industry as she has signed endorsement deals with Neutrogena and Cream of Nature, both global brands in skincare and haircare, respectively.
Madowo and Mbatha sat for the exclusive interview on set of the final season of the hit television series, Shaka iLembe at the historic Cradle of Humankind outside Johannesburg where she highlighted the cultural significance of Shaka iLembe, and why giving back to her society is at the center of her aspirations as well as the legacy she desires to build beyond the glitz and glamour of the big screen.
This edition of African Voices Changemakers will be broadcast on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with additional broadcasts at noon same day. On Sunday, further repeats hold at 4:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on Monday at 3:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. The repeats continue on Tuesday at 5:45 p.m and Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m and Sunday, March15 at 3:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m as well as Monday, March 16 at 3:00 a.m.
